Living in Costa Rica is not for everyone

Today I am sharing a story from a blog called Goodie Goodie Gumdrop

The story is about a family who found that Costa Rica was not for them. We have been told over and over again that Costa Rica is not for everyone, so it is something we keep in the back of our minds. I think it is something you will not know until you go there and live it for yourself.

Here's the story

I would like to introduce you to the Hoyr family of Canada who currently call Costa Rica home. I first connected with Carmel online when they were considering a move to Costa Rica. I think she is a cool lady who I look forward to meeting in person one of these days. Plus, I feel like we share a special bond and a lot of the same concerns with adjusting to our first big travel adventure in Costa Rica. I can relate to so much of what she says below. It is no secret that our adjustment to this lifestyle was quite hard to say the least. We too missed family, friends and picture books. I am totally with you Carmel.

Photo Credit

 Please click here for the rest of the story

Getting down to business! - Countdown to Relocation in Costa Rica

With the clock ticking

102 days and counting

Ask me how we spent our Saturday.

Time to start putting things in boxes
(We also have a lead on a short term rental in Grecia. Tell you more when I know more)

I still have a lot of "things" stored from 3 previous local moves

I am currently storing them in a garage some miles from my apartment

I am long overdue to go though all of these items and
discard the things I have not used in the 

last 7 sevens years
because

I plan to replace some of those items with current ones that I plan to keep
just in case of a possible return to the Bay Area.
You just never know, so I stick by the old Girl Scout motto "be prepared!"

I am not one of those people selling off everything they own and moving with a back pack

So off we went to Home Depot 

(BTW-buying new boxes, even from Home depot, is not cheap) 

We did make a bit of a dent in what was stored, but still have quite a bit to go. 

It was almost like Christmas going through things I had not seen in many years
(I had a lot of good stuff in those boxes)

I did my best to resist the urge to add too many of them back into my everyday life.

After I went through the clothing, we made a trip to Goodwill
(I also took 2 big bags from my apartment last week).
While there, it was interesting that the donation worker told us that
they have been very busy with donations.
Seems that quite a few people are leaving the country.
Some moving to France while others were moving to Europe.

Record number of Americans dump U.S passports

Our plan is to complete the project next weekend.

Oh, and if I haven't told you lately -- I enjoy moving but I HATE packing!!! 

My trunk isn't exactly made to haul boxes

most of them ended up in the back seat

Black History Month - Travel Takeover in Costa Rica!

Today's post is in celebration of Black History Month and is taken from the February 14th article of The Sophisticated Life.

The Black History Month Travel Takeover continues with Costa Rica! Join us on Instagram & Twitter with the hashtag #BHMtraveltakeover! 

In this black history month series we are celebrating and featuring black travelers in Afro-Latino countries! Afro-Costa Ricans are Costa Ricans of African descent. About 8% of the population in Costa Rica is Afro-Costa Rican. Here is something interesting I learned during my research-many black Costa Ricans are descendants of Jamaicans who went to Costa Rica to work. They are also English speaking Costa Ricans.

Thank you to the Nomadness travel tribe for contributing these pictures of black travelers in Costa Rica! 

(I am happy to report that a photo of me made the final cut) 

click here for pictures and the rest of the article

Sisterlocks comes to Costa Rica - Black in Costa Rica

It's Official

Sisterlocks has arrived in Costa Rica

Thanks to Dr. Carmen Hutchinson Miller

Dr. Carmen Hutchinson Miller

For the last 3 years (and to no avail), I have been searching for a Sisterlocks Consultant in Costa Rica so that I can continue maintaining my locs once I move there.

I have scoured the internet for information, periodically checked the official Sisterlocks Registry and even called their main office in San Diego to inquire. I came up empty handed every time.

With only a few months left before departure I figured that if I wanted to continue wearing my locs, I would have to travel to Panama (the closest country to Costa Rica where there is a certified consultant), travel back to the U.S (Florida) or... heaven forbid - learn to do them myself!  I was not very happy with any of these choices, plus since Sisterlocks are typically re tightened about every 6 weeks, the 1st 2 options would be costly and geographically undesirable.

That left me with only one option -- doing my own hair.

I had already ordered the Sisterlocks "tool" so I resigned myself to the fact that I would now have to learn the process. I would ask my Sisterlocks Consultant to show me how. I figured with over 500 locs, I would be in perpetual re tightening mode.

One night last week it just popped into my head to look on YouTube for some videos on re tightening so at least once I was in Costa Rica I would have a visual reference. I was very happy to find that there were many tutorials out there.  I breathed a sigh of relief. Once I was finished bookmarking the sites I decided to look one last time for a Sisterlocks Consultant in Costa Rica. I hit up the Google and lo and behold I found a recent entry from Sept 2015 on a thread referencing Sisterlocks in CR. After following the thread, I located the original post and from there I found the associated Facebook page. I messaged the person, Dr Carmen Hutchinson Miller, and followed up with an email. To my joy (and gratitude), she contacted me back and confirmed that she was indeed certified in Costa Rica and available for service and...she currently resides in the Central Valley!! Woo Hoo!! A few days later her information appeared on the official Sisterlocks Registry.

So I introduce to you Dr. Carmen Hutchinson Miller and Proud Locks.

Proud Locks is specialized in Sisterlocks which is a hair technique originated by Dr. JoAnne Cornwell in San Diego, California and introduced in Costa Rica by Dr. Carmen Hutchinson Miller in 2014.

In 2008 Dr. Hutchinson Miller and her sister Etsu Hutchinson Miller became the first Costa Ricans in Sisterlocks consultants.

In 2009 Dr. Hutchinson Miller became the first Costa Rican Certified Sisterlocks consultant by Sisterlocks academy.

This technique is based on the concept of sporting the hair pride of people of African descent by taking care of the natural hair without the need of adding any chemicals.

At the same time of sporting hair pride this techniques allows the hair to grow long and healthy naturally.

Sisterlocks has become the solution for people of African descent to style their hair without the use of chemicals or the use of artificial hair while other techniques alter the hair natural way. 

Sisterlocks has also become the solution for mothers of young children who wish to have their natural hair long and healthy.

Join the growing number of Sisterlocks users in Costa Rica and be part of this world wide natural hair movement.

For more information contact me!  

San José, Alajuela, Heredia & Limon 

+506 7009 0176  

proudlockscr@gmail.com

So there you have it. I finally let go and the answer showed up!

Don't worry I am still researching hair options for my fellow black expats but so far there have only been services on the Caribbean side.

Stay tuned

The search continues...

What if it rains? And other hair dilemmas facing black women abroad

If you are a black woman traveling abroad -- or heaven forbid -- you are relocating abroad, I am pretty sure finding hair care and/or hair care products for "our" hair is a question that weighs heavily on your mind.

When I consider relocation, the 2nd most important question I ask (right after "where will I live?") is "who is going to do my hair?"

Some of you may not be as worried about the rain these days due to the increase in black women wearing their hair natural or wearing weaves, braids or other protectives styles, but the hair dilemma is real and effects black women no matter whether we are nappy or straight 

For my situation, try adding Sisterlocks to the equation, this only complicates the search even more!

I remember having the same hair questions when we were thinking of moving to Buenos Aires (I had NO luck finding any black hair care services/products there which ultimately led to my decision to not move there)

When I was in West Africa I expected to find a country full of natural hair but instead all I saw were weaves and braids.  Billboards advertising them were everywhere and I was shocked!

I don't claim to know much about the hair trends of black women in Costa Rica (yet). So far I have only seen the women on the Caribbean Coast, but I surmise that products and services are available -- at least on the Caribbean side. (I did not see anyone with Sisterlocks)

What black hair care products and services are available in the rest of Costa Rica? 

Not sure.

Are there salons that do relaxers or can do a press and curl? 

Are there any black run salons in the Central Valley?

Not sure.

What about my Sisterlocks?

Gotta know

So....My search continues

Stay Tuned...

Our plan comes together - Update Relocation to Costa Rica

I'm a planner!

As you know, right now, I am planning the next phase of my life.

I like nothing more than to plan a party, outing, dinner, vacation or just about any event (large or small). My creative brain just works like that. I look at every social event as an opportunity to learn and I find it very rewarding to watch the results crystallize before my eyes.

One of the best parts of event planning is sharing ideas with the people you are planning the event for.

That's exactly what we did on Sunday night.

We firmed up our arrival and departure dates and began discussion around side tours and excursions.

We're not done yet, but this was a giant step.

We also had ALL of our members present at the meeting, which is rare.

Each of us brought a dish to share.

Nothing Better!!